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Census Data: Americans Migrating From High to Low Tax States

On Tuesday, Census Bureau director Robert Groves announced the first results of the 2010 Census. The findings were not so surprising. Due to population changes, 12 House seats will shift. States with low or no income tax gained more representative seats in the House. Those states with a high income tax lost seats. Just as we expected, Americans are packing up and escaping places with out of control taxation.

Growth is stronger where taxes are lower. Texas’ population grew 21 percent in just the past decade from 21 million to 25 million. While this is partially due to the inflow of immigrants, it has also attracted Americans from all other 49 states. According to Texas Governor Rick Perry “Texas has no personal income tax and no interest in getting one.” Due to Texas’ low taxes and business friendly environment, they have gained four additional House seats.

Nine states currently have no income tax. This is a large selling point that has attracted a great deal of entrepreneurs and productive citizens to these states. The no income tax states of Florida, Washington and Nevada gained a total of four seats. According to the Washington Examiner,

Seven of the nine states that do not levy an income tax grew faster than the national average. The other two, South Dakota and New Hampshire, had the fastest growth in their regions, the Midwest and New England. Altogether, 35 percent of the nation's total population growth occurred in these nine non-taxing states, which accounted for just 19 percent of total population at the beginning of the decade.

Who were the Census losers? For the first time in history, California did not gain a single seat. Massachusetts or “Taxachusetts” lost a seat to other states with lower taxes. Under the new Census data, New York lost two House seats. Over the past decade, the state has had one of the highest tax burdens in the nation. The Tax Foundation has ranked it the worst state for businesses in 2011. Even Donald Trump has threatened to move out of New York due to excessive taxation.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg weighed in on the Census results by saying:

Unless we make this an attractive state to do business in and to live in, people are going to continue to move out. We have to reverse that trend. If you take a look at the competition, we have a lot of retired firefighters, police officers and teachers, for example, that move to Florida. Why? I don’t think it’s the better weather. It’s there’s no inheritance tax and there’s no estate tax. There’s no income tax.

Bloomberg should listen to his own advice by dropping his proposal for a soda tax in New York City.

The Census results should be a good wake up call to state governments. It’s common sense that states with low taxes will attract more people. States with no income taxes have far more job growth and economic gains than those with income taxes—especially those with high income taxes. According to the American Legislative Exchange Council, the nine states without income taxes have had an average job growth of 18.2 percent over the past decade. On the other hand, the nine states with the highest income tax experienced a mere 8.4 percent rise in jobs.

The latest Census data only confirms what we have always known. Americans are sending a message by voting with their feet. More of us are choosing low taxes, less government and more freedom.

Personal Freedom and Prosperity 101: Personal PowerThe distinctive principle of Western social philosophy is individualism.It aims at the creation of a sphere in which the individual is free to think, to choose, and to act without being restrained by the interference of the social apparatus of coercion and oppression, the State. All the spiritual and material achievements of Western civilization were the result of the operation of this idea of liberty. —Ludwig von Mises

Barack Obama has yet again taken credit away from individual success and attributed it to the government, sending small business owners one simple message: “If you’ve got a business, you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.” If this doesn’t further prove that Obama is unfit to lead a country based on the splendor of a free market system, then I’m at a loss as to what will.

Obama seems to have one goal in mind this election: creating an even greater gap between Republicans and Democrats. I must admit, he’s doing a great job of it, stoking class warfare and feeding the media and his supporters left-wing lies. Did you hear the GOP is nothing but a bunch of wealthy and corrupt people that have no interest in the good of the lower and middle class citizens?

During the nasty back-and-forth in the debt ceiling debate, inflamed rhetoric dominated discourse, and left reasonable debate trailing in the dust. Any opposition to a multi-billion dollar tax increase is seen as the artifact of a radical faction of Congress.

Washington State is often listed as one of the best places to live, retire and open a business. Home to some of the fastest-growing industries in the nation, Washington was ranked by Forbes as the second best state for businesses in 2009. Furthermore, Washington was recently featured on U.S News and Reports’ list of the five best states to build a nest egg. But all that could change soon.

Democracy and Power 107: Counting votesSuccessful … politicians are insecure and intimidated men. They advance politically only as they placate, appease, bribe, seduce, bamboozle or otherwise manage to manipulate the demanding and threatening elements in their constituencies. – Walter Lippmann (1889-1974), American Journalist and Author

I just wanted to take a minute and update you on our efforts to fight taxes and spending in Oregon. Many of you will be excited to learn that we are planning Taxpayer Tea Parties in multiple cities across Oregon! This is because of the overwhelming interest in joining our effort to fight wasteful government spending and the massive bailouts.You can rsvp for these events by visiting IamWithRick.com and signing up to attend the tea party closest to you.As CNBC's Rick Santelli pointed out, it's time for the American peopleto defend free markets and take to the streets in protest!SIGN UP NOW for the protest closest to you! We will send you updateson the events as we get them.Also, if you care about wasteful spending and higher taxes, you mightwant to take a minute to send Governor Kulangoski a message. As you know, we’ve been closely following one bad idea after another that has come out of Salem. First it was a massive cigarette tax hike. Then it was plans for a tax on mileage, higher registration and title fees, a gasoline tax hike, and even an outrageous 1900% beer tax hike! So far, it’s been all taxes and no cuts that go after waste and the regulations that burden businesses in Oregon. Now, rather than trying to lift the financial burdens of hurting Oregonians, legislators are floating more plans to rake in more cash. These include raising the state income tax, an even bigger gasoline tax hike, and taking away Oregon’s kicker! States across the board are facing budget problems, but taking more money out of the pockets of people who are already struggling to make ends meet isn’t the answer. Take Action and tell your elected officials that you oppose more tax and spend plans. Like everyone else, Oregon’s leaders need to reexamine the books and stretch our dollars a little further.